This Johannes Riedesel is a special case. While he lived at two different times in the United States, he ultimately returned to Europe for good. His daughter, Luise, however eventually came to stay.

He was born April 6, 1872 in the village of Leidenhofen near Marburg. This had been the family home for several generations. He was the son of Peter and Katharina (Weidenmüller) Riedesel.

“John”  came alone to New York on the ship Noordland out of Antwerp, arriving December 11, 1891. His occupation is given as that of a painter, and he had a single piece of luggage. However, he had returned to Europe by 1897 as he married Margaretha Ferry on July 26, 1897. The marriage took place in Diedenhofen in the then-German province of Lothringen (now Lorraine in France) where he had relatives. Margaretha had been born there in December 1880.

By 1899, he was again in the U.S. with his wife, infant daughter Luise, and step-sister Marie. Although destined originally for Mt. Clemens, Michigan, they apparently lived in Chicago for two years or so before returning to Europe for good.

John eventually died on January 16, 1938 in Gasperich, Luxemburg. Margaretha had died there on April 15, 1925.